Martin Browne (Tipperary, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

There is no one else indicating a desire to contribute. I thank Mr. Barrett and Mr. O'Sullivan for their input and invite them to make a final comment.

We have proved conclusively here today that a number of developments on Lough Ree are unauthorised and illegal and that the council has not been proactive in doing what it should. Furthermore, Waterways Ireland has done absolutely nothing to protect the property under its control. Waterways Ireland received this property under the terms of what is known as the Good Friday Agreement. Under that agreement, Waterways Ireland was set up as a North-South body and is responsible for any properties it inherited as a result. I do not believe it has done an audit of its properties. It does not know what it actually owns and has not made any effort to do so. Deputy Buckley asked if this could be happening all over the country and I can guarantee that it is. I hope that through the work of this committee Waterways Ireland will endeavour to recover property that has basically been stolen from it. I hope that Westmeath County Council and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications will do something about unauthorised development.